title: Clusters of personality traits and psychological symptoms associated with later benzodiazepine prescriptions in the general population: The HUNT Cohort Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this population-based study was to identify factors associated with later benzodiazepine prescriptions, including clusters of personality traits, self-esteem characteristics, sleep difficulties, depression and anxiety symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 13year historical cohort study (n=58,967) was carried out and baseline measures of self-reported depression and anxiety symptoms, sleep difficulties, self-esteem and personality traits were obtained from the second wave of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT 2, 1995-1997), Norway. Data on benzodiazepine prescriptions were collected from the Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD, 2004-2008) for each case in the cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that a combined high extraversion and high neuroticism personality score at baseline was associated with increased benzodiazepine prescription rates. Further, sleep difficulties, low self-esteem and high depression and anxiety scores were also linked to later prescriptions of benzodiazepines, in particular chronic and high dose benzodiazepine prescriptions patterns. The findings are discussed in relation to prescription practice and policy.
authors.affiliation: Gediz University, Department of Psychology, Izmir, Turkey. trond.nordfjaern@gediz.edu.tr
authors.forename: Trond
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nordfjærn
authors.forename: Ottar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bjerkeset
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moylan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Rolf W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Gråwe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000075384:Neuroticism; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010556:Personality Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001569:Benzodiazepines
keywords: Anxiety; Benzodiazepine; Depression; Personality; Self-esteem; Sleep